Zetland Primary School

About Zetland Primary School

Zetland Primary School is a mixed state primary in Redcar and Cleveland, currently home to 196 pupils against a capacity of 210, so it is running close to full. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 33.3%, which is notably higher than the national average and reflects the local demographic context. Demand for places is clear: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 23 applications for 16 places, with 15 of those coming as first preferences, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.44. This suggests that despite being a relatively small school, it holds a strong local reputation. Headteacher Alexa O'Gara leads a school that caters for children aged 3 to 11, with nursery provision available. The school does not have a religious character, and its most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in November 2024, confirmed that standards are being maintained, building on a previous graded inspection in 2014 that rated overall effectiveness as Good.

Academically, Zetland's Key Stage 2 results for 2023/24 show a mixed picture. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined was 55%, which is below the local authority average of 65% and places the school 33rd out of 41 primary schools in Redcar and Cleveland. Broken down by subject, 68% met the expected standard in reading, 77% in writing, and 58% in maths. At the higher standard, the figures are lower: 10% in reading, 13% in writing, and just 3% in maths. Average scaled scores were 103 for reading and 101 for maths. Nationally, the school ranks in the bottom 50% of primary schools based on its combined expected standard score, sitting at the 69th percentile. The previous Ofsted inspection in 2009 also rated the school Good, so the overall quality of education has been consistently solid, even if exam outcomes are not among the highest in the area.

The school offers a range of facilities including a sports hall, sensory room, outdoor playground, library and chapel, with clubs covering drama, art, choir, gardening and chess. Sports on offer include athletics, football, dance, cricket, cross country and rounders. For children with additional needs, Zetland provides support for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, visual impairment and autistic spectrum disorder. Parent feedback from the most recent Parent View survey, based on 16 responses, was overwhelmingly positive: 88% would recommend the school, and 94% agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy. The school is oversubscribed, so families considering it should be aware that securing a place may require a first-preference application. It suits families looking for a well-regarded local primary with strong pastoral care and a broad range of activities, set within a community-focused environment.

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